Congressmen introduce bill to extend oil drilling ban off Florida’s shores

Two U.S. congressmen from Florida introduced a bill that would extend a moratorium on offshore drilling and hold oil companies more accountable, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan announced Monday.

The bill, called Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act and introduced with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., is three-fold: it would extend the current ban on offshore drilling by five years; it would make oil companies responsible for spills pay for cleanup; and it would establish an accountability group to prevent oil spills before they happen.

Currently, the offshore oil drilling ban off Florida’s coast is set to expire on June 22, 2022. The ban covers most of the Gulf of Mexico within 125 miles of Florida’s coast. This bill would prolong the moratorium until 2027.

According to Buchanan, oil companies are now only responsible for the cleanup if the oil is transported by single-hull vessels. The bill attempts to hold responsible parties accountable, making oil companies who spill pay for the cleanup efforts and provide grants to states.

Additionally, the bill would help establish the Gulf Coast Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, which mimics the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, formed by Congress after the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 when a tanker hit Bligh Reef and unleashed 260,000 barrels of oil. The purpose of the council would be to track industry activity and recommend safety practices.

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order called America-First Offshore Energy Strategy that could expand oil expeditions in new marine sanctuaries and make drilling easier in the Arctic and Atlantic. Trump officials noted that the order wouldn’t mean automatic leasing off of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Congressmen introduce bill to extend oil drilling ban off Florida’s shores."